Be Here Now: New Album s 8-31-18 – 9-6-18 Reviewed

Karma For Cheap – Aaron Lee Tasjan – The other Semi-Precious Metal guy has released an album for people hungry for 1970s rock, straight crunch, melodic, occasionally memorable – B-

Is This Thing Cursed? – Alkaline Trio – They haven’t changed much, still emocore with a strong tunefulness and a singer who could be better, try “Worn So Thin” – B-

My New Moon – Amos Lee – I’ve never had the slightest time for this boring folkie, but. shock, “No More Darkness, No More Light” was quite a pleasant calypso, “Louisville” had a lively backbeat, and, maybe just going with the flow a little, “Little Light” was soulful. So the first three songs were good to not terrible… and then it is business as usual – C

Hunter – Anna Calvi – Way dramatic, operatic gothy glow, very hip at the turn of the decade. Unfortunately, she is pretty deadly and boring, might be fun if you had never heard of Klaus Nomi, if you have it doesn’t go nearly far enough – C

Big Red Machine – Big Red Machine – If the medium is the message, the message is have a snooze. This can’t lick 22,A Million’s boots… precious and superfluous, it reeks of having too much money and too much time – MUST TO AVOID – C-

F*ck Everybody 2 – Blac Youngsta – Following an album with a mixtape. the Memphis rapper invites Lil Pump for a second, and the rest is drugs and pussy, tailor made for clubs and parties though lyrically a real bore – C+

Return of the Trill – Bun B – Well, that was a waste of two hours! I just went in search of more Trill (true plus real) and ended up listening to a DJ Screw remix of UGK. This is pretty good, lotsa guys paying their respects, and you can hear what A$AP Rocky respected so much about it, but nothing good enough to convert the unconverted – B-

Been on Your Side – Courtney Hartman, Taylor Ashton – modern folk, which means too much confessional, though the singing is exquisite from the former members of Della Mae and Of Fish And Bird. Goes on a bit but scoot to “Loving Hands” followed by “Dead To Me” for the best – B-

Fire In The Clouds – Curren$y – This is his fifth project of the year from the New Orleans guy, he can rap for sure but the takeaway is “I’m so fucking high, I don’t feel no vibe” -Really? _ C+

Kamikaze – Eminem – It did the job, Em will be back at # 1 next week. Good #s as well, 340K equivalent album units (for comparisons sake, J. Cole moved 390K in his first week earlier this year), so enough to revitalize his career on this blistering attack on everybody not down with Shady. Still, much ado about nothing. It matters a lot more to Em than to anyone else at all – B

Joy as an Act of Resistance. – IDLES – All these UK post-punk guys sound exactly the same, aka just like Sleaford Mobs – C+

Weed Garden – Iron & Wine – King of Americana, a little ho hum but if “Last Of Your Rock ‘n’ Roll Heroes” was better it could be their (and by their I mean his) “All Your Favorite Bands” – C+

Loved – KEN Mode – metalcore, loud as fuck – C+

TRU – LP – Lloyd – Mainstream old school(ish) r&b, the one with Weezy is a keeper – C+

I’ve Tortured You Long Enough – Mass Gothic – Not bad synth pop, a married couple with a nice voiced Jessica Zambri, leading the way. Should be catchier, but if Pitchfork hate it I need to up my opionion – B

KIN – Mogwai – Imagine what this sounds like for one moment. Are you doing that? You’re right, that’s what it sounds like – C+

Bloom – Troye Sivan – A great album about a gay boy coming of age and composing one great song after another about it. This is major the way This Year’s Model was, every song, one after another, where they could be nowhere else but where they are, a dreamy pop dance blissfulness, it’s like Call Me By Your Name without the bummer ending. -ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A

My Blood And A Few Others From Trench – Twenty One Pilots – The boys have not actually managed to follow up “Stressed Out” – C-

King Of The Road: A Tribute To Roger Miller – Various Artists – A very strong covers album, pride of place goes to Loretta Lynn, Brad Paisley, Lyle Lovett, and Dwight Yoakum who sounds like Presley on the live “t Only Hurts When I Cry” – A